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REFLECTIONS
DO I HAVE BIBLE FAITH? The article last month on "Faith" seemed to stimulate much discussion, both pro and con. I wish all of our articles did that. Hopefully, you have been challenged to go to your Bible for additional information. “Now faith IS the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for, the EVIDENCE of things NOT SEEN." Hebrews 11:1 (caps mine) Bible "faith" is real, not blind. Bible "faith" is based on what God has said, not what we visualize nor positively confess. We do not have to see the evidence. A title deed gives ownership of the property, regardless of whether you have seen it or not. "Through faith we UNDERSTAND that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that THINGS WHICH ARE SEEN were not made of THINGS WHICH DO APPEAR." Hebrews 11:3 (caps mine) Observe that the verse does not say through faith we "believe," but "through faith we understand." Not that we understand how God did it, but just that He did it. How could we know that? By reading God's Book! The Bible tells us from Genesis through Revelation that God created the heavens and earth, but the world has decided to teach evolution. People choose to believe one or the other (that's their faith in action.) There are eighteen individuals mentioned in Hebrews 11 and each of them had different marching orders. God's word says "build an ark," but it doesn't say it to everyone. Suppose Abraham had "built an ark" and Noah had gone "into a far country!" Faith comes by believing what God says to us. This is what Paul called "rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15.) We sing "Every Promise in the Book is Mine," but no one heads to brook Cherith to let the ravens feed them "there," a promise God made to Elijah (1 Kings 17:3-4). "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10:17 Faith doesn't come by dreams, visions nor experiences. A dream might come true, or it might not come true. A feeling, instinct or intuition might be right, and again it might not. Faith in such fickle things is not Bible faith. We are hearing more and more of some "end time" prophecy made by some religious "con man." In Old Testament Israel, anyone who claimed such ability would have paid with his life if he was anything but 100% correct (Deuteronomy 18:19-22.) When Paul introduced "the mystery" to the Gentiles, he claimed that body of truth would complete God's revelation for man (Colossians 1:25.) For anyone to claim additional revelation would be adding to God's word. To claim any "prophecy" not found in the pages of the Bible is to prophesy falsely.
"Behold, I am against them that PROPHESY FALSE DREAMS, saith the Lord...and cause My people to err by their LIES...I sent them not..." Jeremiah 23:32 (caps mine) "For such are FALSE APOSTLES, DECEITFUL workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if HIS (Satan's) MINISTERS also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness..." 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (caps mine) GOD HAS PUT IN WRITING WHAT HE WANTS US TO KNOW Satan loves to twist God's words. He started in Eden and has not stopped. The last few years religious man has been jumping from one translation to another. Each man can become judge and jury on what he thinks God says. When the authority of the King is set aside, then each man becomes his own authority. (Judges 17:6) ADAM FELL BY FAITH Faith has no supernatural power. It is not "our believing," but Who or what we believe. Adam and Eve placed "faith" in what Satan said, over and above what they believed about what God said. Why wasn't Paul healed when he asked God three times to heal him (2 Corinthians 12:8?) Was it due to Paul's lack of faith? Paul had enough faith to ask, even to ask three times. Was there scripture that Paul could quote that guaranteed his healing? Evidently not! God had obviously healed Paul many times before, even bringing him back from the dead (2 Corinthians 11:23,) yet those healings were based on God's grace, not His guarantee (His word.) What if a person sincerely asks Christ to save him, will Christ do so? When a lost sinner asks Jesus Christ to save him, God guarantees to do so in writing, (Romans 10:13.) It is the object of faith that counts, not who has the faith. Faith is simply believing what God wrote to us. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10:17 Keep Looking Up! In loving memory of Leland Maples

Keep Looking Up

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Loved Ones Of Prisoners

KEEP LOOKING UP!

DO I HAVE BIBLE FAITH? The article last month on "Faith" seemed to stimulate much discussion, both pro and con. I wish all of our articles did that. Hopefully, you have been challenged to go to your Bible for additional information. “Now faith IS the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for, the EVIDENCE of things NOT SEEN." Hebrews 11:1 (caps mine) Bible "faith" is real, not blind. Bible "faith" is based on what God has said, not what we visualize nor positively confess. We do not have to see the evidence. A title deed gives ownership of the property, regardless of whether you have seen it or not. "Through faith we UNDERSTAND that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that THINGS WHICH ARE SEEN were not made of THINGS WHICH DO APPEAR." Hebrews 11:3 (caps mine) Observe that the verse does not say through faith we "believe," but "through faith we understand." Not that we understand how God did it, but just that He did it. How could we know that? By reading God's Book! The Bible tells us from Genesis through Revelation that God created the heavens and earth, but the world has decided to teach evolution. People choose to believe one or the other (that's their faith in action.) There are eighteen individuals mentioned in Hebrews 11 and each of them had different marching orders. God's word says "build an ark," but it doesn't say it to everyone. Suppose Abraham had "built an ark" and Noah had gone "into a far country!" Faith comes by believing what God says to us. This is what Paul called "rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15.) We sing "Every Promise in the Book is Mine," but no one heads to brook Cherith to let the ravens feed them "there," a promise God made to Elijah (1 Kings 17:3-4). "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17 Faith doesn't come by dreams, visions nor experiences. A dream might come true, or it might not come true. A feeling, instinct or intuition might be right, and again it might not. Faith in such fickle things is not Bible faith. We are hearing more and more of some "end time" prophecy made by some religious "con man." In Old Testament Israel, anyone who claimed such ability would have paid with his life if he was anything but 100% correct (Deuteronomy 18:19-22.) When Paul introduced "the mystery" to the Gentiles, he claimed that body of truth would complete God's revelation for man (Colossians 1:25.) For anyone to claim additional revelation would be adding to God's word. To claim any "prophecy" not found in the pages of the Bible is to prophesy falsely. "Behold, I am against them that PROPHESY FALSE DREAMS, saith the Lord...and cause My people to err by their LIES...I sent them not..." Jeremiah 23:32 (caps mine) "For such are FALSE APOSTLES, DECEITFUL workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if HIS (Satan's) MINISTERS also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness..." 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (caps mine) GOD HAS PUT IN WRITING WHAT HE WANTS US TO KNOW Satan loves to twist God's words. He started in Eden and has not stopped. The last few years religious man has been jumping from one translation to another. Each man can become judge and jury on what he thinks God says. When the authority of the King is set aside, then each man becomes his own authority. (Judges 17:6) ADAM FELL BY FAITH Faith has no supernatural power. It is not "our believing," but Who or what we believe. Adam and Eve placed "faith" in what Satan said, over and above what they believed about what God said. Why wasn't Paul healed when he asked God three times to heal him (2 Corinthians 12:8?) Was it due to Paul's lack of faith? Paul had enough faith to ask, even to ask three times. Was there scripture that Paul could quote that guaranteed his healing? Evidently not! God had obviously healed Paul many times before, even bringing him back from the dead (2 Corinthians 11:23,) yet those healings were based on God's grace, not His guarantee (His word.) What if a person sincerely asks Christ to save him, will Christ do so? When a lost sinner asks Jesus Christ to save him, God guarantees to do so in writing, (Romans 10:13.) It is the object of faith that counts, not who has the faith. Faith is simply believing what God wrote to us. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10:17 Keep Looking Up! In loving memory of Leland Maples
Made with Xara
REFLECTIONS

KEEP LOOKING UP!

DO I HAVE BIBLE FAITH? The article last month on "Faith" seemed to stimulate much discussion, both pro and con. I wish all of our articles did that. Hopefully, you have been challenged to go to your Bible for additional information. “Now faith IS the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for, the EVIDENCE of things NOT SEEN." Hebrews 11:1 (caps mine) Bible "faith" is real, not blind. Bible "faith" is based on what God has said, not what we visualize nor positively confess. We do not have to see the evidence. A title deed gives ownership of the property, regardless of whether you have seen it or not. "Through faith we UNDERSTAND that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that THINGS WHICH ARE SEEN were not made of THINGS WHICH DO APPEAR." Hebrews 11:3 (caps mine) Observe that the verse does not say through faith we "believe," but "through faith we understand." Not that we understand how God did it, but just that He did it. How could we know that? By reading God's Book! The Bible tells us from Genesis through Revelation that God created the heavens and earth, but the world has decided to teach evolution. People choose to believe one or the other (that's their faith in action.) There are eighteen individuals mentioned in Hebrews 11 and each of them had different marching orders. God's word says "build an ark," but it doesn't say it to everyone. Suppose Abraham had "built an ark" and Noah had gone "into a far country!" Faith comes by believing what God says to us. This is what Paul called "rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15.) We sing "Every Promise in the Book is Mine," but no one heads to brook Cherith to let the ravens feed them "there," a promise God made to Elijah (1 Kings 17:3-4). "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17 Faith doesn't come by dreams, visions nor experiences. A dream might come true, or it might not come true. A feeling, instinct or intuition might be right, and again it might not. Faith in such fickle things is not Bible faith. We are hearing more and more of some "end time" prophecy made by some religious "con man." In Old Testament Israel, anyone who claimed such ability would have paid with his life if he was anything but 100% correct (Deuteronomy 18:19-22.) When Paul introduced "the mystery" to the Gentiles, he claimed that body of truth would complete God's revelation for man (Colossians 1:25.) For anyone to claim additional revelation would be adding to God's word. To claim any "prophecy" not found in the pages of the Bible is to prophesy falsely. "Behold, I am against them that PROPHESY FALSE DREAMS, saith the Lord...and cause My people to err by their LIES...I sent them not..." Jeremiah 23:32 (caps mine) "For such are FALSE APOSTLES, DECEITFUL workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if HIS (Satan's) MINISTERS also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness..." 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (caps mine) GOD HAS PUT IN WRITING WHAT HE WANTS US TO KNOW Satan loves to twist God's words. He started in Eden and has not stopped. The last few years religious man has been jumping from one translation to another. Each man can become judge and jury on what he thinks God says. When the authority of the King is set aside, then each man becomes his own authority. (Judges 17:6) ADAM FELL BY FAITH Faith has no supernatural power. It is not "our believing," but Who or what we believe. Adam and Eve placed "faith" in what Satan said, over and above what they believed about what God said. Why wasn't Paul healed when he asked God three times to heal him (2 Corinthians 12:8?) Was it due to Paul's lack of faith? Paul had enough faith to ask, even to ask three times. Was there scripture that Paul could quote that guaranteed his healing? Evidently not! God had obviously healed Paul many times before, even bringing him back from the dead (2 Corinthians 11:23,) yet those healings were based on God's grace, not His guarantee (His word.) What if a person sincerely asks Christ to save him, will Christ do so? When a lost sinner asks Jesus Christ to save him, God guarantees to do so in writing, (Romans 10:13.) It is the object of faith that counts, not who has the faith. Faith is simply believing what God wrote to us. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10:17 Keep Looking Up! In loving memory of Leland Maples